Otherside
by Imaginary Enemies
Summary: After the breakup, the entire group finds themselves drifting apart. Mako went under the radar. Korra never saw it coming. Originally posted on my tumblr. Influenced by Macklmore's song 'Otherside'.


ORIGINAL POST DATE: 3/3/14

The pit in Mako's stomach grew as he set foot on Air Temple Island. The I listened to Macklemore's song "Otherside" which deals with the demons of drug abuse and it was a really good inspiration for this fic. Look it up.

Korra hadn't seen him in weeks.

It was as if he wasn't real, just a passing dream that she had clung to.

Almost as if Mako had fallen feet first off of the face of the earth, out of her grasp because he didn't want to be there.

Bolin hadn't been keeping in touch, he had said, because he was so busy with his movers.

Asami was working on keeping the company alive, and also confessed to not talking to him in a while.

She called him endless times, each time reaching the dial tone of no answer.

Deciding to take drastic measures, she went to Lin.

Much to Korra's relief, he had been showing up to work. He wasn't himself, she had claimed. He was working, but barely. He left as soon as his shift ended, unusual for him because he always asked if there was anything else he could do.

But the second that click hit six o'clock, granted he wasn't out on patrol or a case, he left.

What was concerning to Korra was that situation and also how he wasn't reaching out to anyone, either. He was one of the things that had kept their friend group alive in the past few months since their breakup.

She had noticed it dwindle away into nothingness. Into accidental run ins and painful small talk.

Taking things into her own hands, she traveled down to his apartment.

Six floors she ran up to visit him. She brought food as an excuse to spend time together.

Deep down, she had a sense of destruction. Something didn't settle right with her stomach and her heart and her mind. Something was wrong, and she was going to find out.

Knocking on the door, she waited. After a few seconds of nothing, she knocked on the door again.

"Hold on a fucking minute!" he had yelled. Clattering was heard from the other side of the door.

It whipped open, and a disgruntled and disheveled Mako stood in front of her.

He hadn't shaved, his hair was messy, and his wife beater was crumpled, as if he hadn't changed it in a while.

"What is it, Korra?" he asked darkly; almost impatiently.

Realizing her face was probably one of shock, she quickly composed herself with a smile. "I brought us lunch!"

He eyed the bag and then her face. "Not interested."

As he was shutting the door on her face, she stuck her foot in the door.

"I think you are," she teased. She wasn't afraid of him.

He opened the door again and narrowed his eyes, pushing her out by her shoulder. "Don't you dare come in here."

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Mako. We need to catch up!"

She tried pushing her way past her again, but only got one foot through the threshold. It didn't take much to see his set up.

At the quick glance, she saw bags of pills. Her features dropped.

"Mako, what is that?" she asked lowly.

"Nothing of your concern," he bit out, trying to shut the door on her face again.

"You're using?"

"It's not your business."

"It is my business! We're fucking friends you need to tell me this shit!"

"We're not friends, okay. We can't be friends. Now get out."

With finality, he slammed the door on her face.

She turned around and walked down the steps, and promptly left the building.

Weeks passed. She hadn't confided in anyone. Not Bolin, not Asami, not Lin.

That was probably her mistake. She was so angry at him, though.

If that's the life he wanted to live, then fine.

If she didn't want her helping him, whatever.

She didn't care.

It was only when she woke up from a nap, chest heaving and sweat covering her body, she saw him again.

Her dream, hopefully just a dream and not a premonition, was terrible.

She tried not to recall it as she threw on her parka and shoes, not bothering with her sweatpants and staying in her thick leggings for sleeping.

Her hair, loose from its clips, was thrown into a messy bun atop her head.

Hoping to the spirits that no one would recognize her in her disheveled frenzy, she ran.

Ran to the ferry, across the docs, and down the streets of Republic City to her ex boyfriends apartment.

She flew up the stairs, and to his door. This time, she did not hesitate and slammed open the door.

Mako was sprawled out on his couch, utterly void of life. Her heart dropped a thousand stories.

The door was thrown back shut, and she carefully made her way over to him.

"Mako?" she called out, sitting down next to him. Her breathing was ragged, from running and the anxiety scratching through her veins.

She bit her lip as she reached for his pule. It was dull, but it was there.

Her cool fingers made him stir.

"What," he mumbled, so incoherent Korra almost didn't catch it.

She eyed the pills that were on the table in front of them.

Collecting herself with an emotional huff, she stood up. "We're going to the hospital."

Mako slid down onto the couch, falling over onto his side. "No, we're not."

He pressed his face into the pillow.

She huffed. "Yes, we are."

Grabbing his arm, she hauled it over her shoulder.

"Get off," he muttered again, his face now falling into her neck.

And she dragged him.

At least, she tried to. But his 6"0' stature and 210 pound, completely dead weight body was too much for her. She threw him back down onto the couch.

"I'm calling Bolin," she informed him, after he gave her a look with his blood shot eyes.

"No fucking way," he groaned.

His body was so limp, he looked dead. His chest barely had movement to it, the shallow breathing quickly dissipating. His was pale as the moon that shined through his thin, shitty curtains.

"Yes," she nearly shouted. "I'm calling Bolin. You're not dying here."

She desperately punched in the numbers as fast as she could. The cord was wrapped tightly around her hand, causing it to turn colors. The phone rang four times, an eternity, until his voice perpetrated her ear.

"Hello?" He asked, his voice rusty, older than she had remembered.

"Come over to Mako's, now. He needs help, please Bolin," she nearly cried, eyeing her once lover as he slowly began sliding even further down the ratty couch. His knee hit the table that held his death on its face, and she looked at what was on it.

Drugs on drugs, bottles, bags, needles. What the fuck was he even doing?

"What?" Bolins voice picked up. "Why?"

She almost screamed in anger. "Just come now!"

The phone slapped the receiver as she ran back over to Mako.

"Bolin is coming," she told him, tugging on his arm so he could sit up.

"No," he mumbled. His eyes weren't open.

Korra gritted her teeth. "Mako, open your eyes."

He shook his head, his mouth hanging open.

The anxiety was rushing all over her body. She felt a pain she couldn't describe reaching the ends of her fingers and toes, her legs hurt, her arms were strained. Her whole body was tensing, her frustration and fear growing.

She was a healer. But what could she do? He put dangerous, foreign matter into his body. She didn't know how she could extract it. She didn't know how to get better.

Soon, her cheeks were wet and she placed her forehead on his shoulder.

His body was getting cold. He was so still, but from his breathing she knew he was still alive and there with her. He was still with her, and that's what was keeping her sanity.

Her quiet sobs made her tremble, and she wrapped her arms around his torso. It was almost like old times, except he was on his death bed and she was a complete disaster.

The door whipped open and footsteps approached her.

A moment of stalled silence was apparent to the Avatar as Bolin took in the surroundings.

"What the fuck?!" Bolin's voice rang through her head. "We need to get him to a hospital."

Korra sat up and nodded. "Help me move him."

Mako was transported, with a lot of effort on Bolin and Korra's part, tp the emergency unit.  
The two waited impatiently side by side.

"I had no idea," Bolin stated monotonously. "I just… I didn't know."

Korra shook her head. "I did know. But I was so angry at him… for yelling at me. Saying that we weren't friends. I didn't say anything."

She gripped his scarf tighter, tears continuing to wet the fabric.

"Spirits, this is all my fault. I'm so sorry," she said in a small voice.

A warm arm enveloped her. She fell into his chest, even though she had no right to be comforted.

"It's not your fault, Korra," he told her. "We should have been paying attention to the signs. It's okay."

She shook her head into his shoulder, but said nothing.

Bolin continued. "He had a problem when we were just barely teenagers, when we first got into the Triads. It was only a few years ago, so I should have known he could have relapsed…"

"Why would he relapse?" Korra asked, her voice small in lieu of this new information that was told to her.

Only silence met her. For a while, he said nothing. Thinking.

"I think… Because he didn't take your guys' breakup too well," he told her, albeit apologetically. "But you should not blame yourself, at all."

She only nodded, but her teeth were gritted.

Mako had been in a coma-like state for three days. He woke rarely, and that was only to hydrate himself and then fall back asleep.

After those three days, his body regulated and the doctor said he should wake soon.

He woke up to green, happy eyes.

"I'm so glad you're finally awake, bro," Bolin smiled. Mako nodded.

"I'm sorry," he rasped.

Bolin shook his head. "What matters is that you're alive and getting better.

His vision started spotting, and he closed his eyes.

In the darkness, all he could see was wet, blue eyes and messy brown hair.

Eyes still shut, he asked, "Where's Korra?"

Air left Bolin's mouth, and his back and warms went limp against the hard hospital chair. "I told her to leave. She hadn't slept in three days."

The stark white sheets were clasped between Mako's almost-identical colored fingers.

"She found me, right?"

"Yeah, and she called me yelling and crying. She still cares about you." Bolin knew what was really important to his brother. He didn't want words of comfort.

Golden eyes opened and looked into his brothers. "I know that now."

Mako was released two days after he woke up. His body was rejuvenated, but he still felt depleted. When he arrived at his apartment, it was spotless.

No bags, needles, pills, bottles… anything. It was as if it never happened.

His body met with his old couch, and his head rested on the back.

Korra had saved his life. And he told her that they couldn't be friends, and yet, she was there.

She was still the obnoxious, nosy light in his life. She shone in the dark corners of his life, and invaded with such persistence that, without her, he'd be dead.

His hand reached for his neck, until he realised that the fabric he was searching for wasn't present.

He panicked. He knew Bolin would have given it to him if he had it. Unless.. Korra.

Idly, he reached for the phone and punched in the desired digits.

The door resounded almost silently in the room. The tiny knocks were soft and hesitant; nervous. He opened the door to see her face, scared and tired, and her hands holding the scarf.

Mako smiled at her, and her heart soared. He hadn't smiled like that, at least to her, since before they broke up.

He moved aside, and Korra moved inside.

"Thank you," he told her. "I owe you everything."

Korra chuckled and handed the scarf to him. "No, you don't. It's fine."

He sat down on the couch, but Korra stood, planted in her place.

"Sit down," he motioned to the spot next to him. "We need to talk."

Korra sat, her weight barely shifting the couch. He nearly smiled at that though, reminiscing about how light she really was. He missed picking her up, holding her, twirling her…

Shaking his head, ridding himself of those thoughts because it was inappropriate, he faced her.

"You saved my life," he started quietly. "How did you know?"

Her eyes shifted to everything around the room except him. "I had a dream. I just came because I was paranoid it was more of a… premonition. I was right," she shrugged, acting as if it was nothing. A calling from the spirits, nothing more. "I'm just glad I got here in time."

The two sat in a stagnant silence.

Until Korra blurted it out.

"Bolin said you were using because of me," she spoke so softly, her words barely reached his ear. "Is that true?"

She felt the couch shift next to her. She couldn't look him in the eye. Because of her, he almost died. Because of her selfishness, a great life was almost lost to an illness he could barely keep together.

"Yes," he conveyed to her with uncertainty. "But, it was among other things. You should not be blaming yourself. I know you are, and it's wrong."

Tears were nearly busting from her eyes, but she managed to hold them back.

"But it is, Mako!" she finally yelled, now looking at him straight in the eye. "Because I wanted to break up, for dumb reasons that I don't even believe, you relapsed! I am the cause of this!"

She was standing now, her high energy filling the room and surrounding Mako.

And she was crying.

"I'm so sorry! I'm such a bitch, and I should have been more persistent when I first found out about this!" Her hands were in her hair, nearly pulling it out. The immense amount of guilt she had kept, bottled inside of her was justly seeping through her seems.

Mako stood and put his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Korra, please. None of this is your fault. It's me," he stared into her eyes, trying to convey how much she should not be feeling this way. "You cannot blame yourself for something you didn't do. You didn't put the drugs into my body!"

She sniffed. "Mako, I did do it! Indirectly or not! It's my fucking fault."

Her head then hit his chest, and his arms enveloped her tiny, trembling body. He rested his chin on her head.

"Can we just.. forget this happened?" he asked her. "It's all better. I'm better. I'm done with that shit. Especially seeing everything I put you through."

She nodded, only doing as he wished. She didn't want to fight with him, and he did have truth in his words. Some truth.

Burrowing her face in his chest, she hugged him back.

"I don't want to be without you anymore," she blurted out. Her face burned, and she hoped he didn't try to bring her head up so he could look at her.

"Korra…" he said with hesitance.

She stiffened, and pulled away, her back to her.

"I'm so sorry, that was dumb."

"No, I just.. I don't want you to say that because I almost died."

The air grew between them, and she turned to look at him.

"I'm not," she chuckled lifelessly. "Trust me. I always thought that I made a mistake when we broke up… and when I almost lost you-"

Before anything else could fall from her lips, she was pulled into a heated embrace. Familiar arms wrapped her, along with the feeling of being at home and even loved. She hugged him back, squishing her face into his chest.

He was crushing her, his emotions backing his strength. Korra crushed him back, fully emptying out the feelings of the past months she had spent without him.

Their 'I'm sorrys' and 'I love yous' were cast into the dark as they stood there in silence, enveloped with each others emotions.

After a while, he pulled away and looked down at her. Her lips picked up at the corners, and she stood on her toes to, at long last, get her kiss.

**A/N: **Dark with a happy ending! Sorry if i romanticized drug abuse, I tried not to. But I couldn't help with the fluffy ending.


End file.
